Speaking before a group of industry analysts hosted by IBM in New York,
Andy Geisse, chief information officer, SBC Services, confirmed that the next phase of Project Lightspeed - a controlled market entry - is set to begin around the end of 2005/early 2006 in neighborhoods in San Antonio, Texas with a limited number of subscribers. SBC companies expect to scale the offerings beginning in mid-2006 - adding features and functionality and entering more markets across the companies' 13-state operating region.
Some other updates on Project Lightspeed:
- IBM servers will be used in SBC IP video offices. These servers - including acquisition, distribution, notification, video-on-demand and other servers - will encrypt video, add digital rights management, allow for fast channel change and other features that will allow delivery of a high-quality, IP-based video service to customers. Additionally, SBC companies are working with IBM to develop a service delivery platform (SDP) that will be used to collect and aggregate transactions from the billing, customer relationship management (CRM), ordering and billing systems. SBC plans to use Leapstone software, which provides subscription and content management capabilities, channel mapping information, and product package information within the SDP.
- SBC is using the Microsoft TV Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) Edition software platform and working with Alcatel to provide access, routing, and aggregation infrastructure equipment and video system integration services.
- SBC companies are working with Scientific-Atlanta to provide IP video network equipment that would enable SBC to acquire, process, encode, and distribute digital media content to subscribers.
- The company is working with Amdocs for billing, customer relationship management (CRM), ordering and payment mediation products, and Amdocs consulting and systems integration services.
- SBC companies will use IPTV set-top boxes from Scientific-Atlanta and Motorola for the scaled launch.
- The technical field trial recently completed in San Antonio tested IPTV and high-speed Internet access at approximately 40 SBC employee homes. VDSL delivered bandwidth of 20-25 Mbps.
